Typewriting machine



- v J 1,642,271 Sept. 13, 1927' A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Aug. 21. 1924 Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

' UNITED STATES JESSE A. B. SMITH,'0F STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, -ASSIGNOEIR. TOUNDERWOQD TYPE- WRITER COMPANY, OF NEW"YOR'K,=N" Y., -A-'OQRPORATION OF-DELAWARE.

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Application. filedA igust .21, 1924. .Serial No. 733,284.

"This invention relates to typewriting machines, and especially to a machine arranged tobe used, at will, for either continuous billing and ledgcr posting, or typing entries upon interleaved billing forms or entry sheets. These work-sheets may comprise a statement-sheet. a ledger-sheet and carbonpaper between the statement and ledger.

[It ;is;a decidedadvantage to'be able to 4-0 perform both classes of work upon one ma- ClitlIlG, this being especially the case where the amount of business carried on by a mercantile establishment does not warrant the installation of separate machines to handle 15 each class of work.

In the patent to lVei tnery & Smith, No. 1,132,055, granted March 16, 1915, there is shown a machine for continuous billing. and ledger: posting. In practice such a machine is used for typing bills or thelike and simultaneously making carbon copies thereof on continuous plies or sheets in superposed relationfandjoined at their edges to form a -W8l). such, for example, as a fan-fold web.

x 5 After such=typing of a bill, the usedportionsof the web are severed along transverse lines from the unused portion b means of a tearing-off knife.

-One feature of my invention is the pro- '3 vision of means for holding the platen of the machine slightly above the feed-rolls, .sothat when the web. has been disconnected and thrown out ofuse, a plurality ofinterleaved worksheets may be introduced between theYtearing-off knife and the platen, and properly. collated whilein the machine,

prior to lowering the platen against the feed-rolls fortyping. The space thus provided between the platen and the feed-rolls forms a collating throat in which. the workpieces -may be freely adjusted while the laten is only slightly above the feed-rolls. yaeason'of this arrangement the platen needs to be moved only a very short distance togrip the work-pieces against the feedrolls, thereby obviating any chance of their s ipping outv of adjustment, such as would be likely to occur were it necessaryto move the platen through an appreciabledistance.

Generally the sheetsQto beprinted upon, comprise single. page billing forms, stacked one above the other, and with transfer paper between the sheets, but they may take the form of a typing pagehaving suitable item designations thereon, and having a tab or. leaf on the leftof the page, the tab being folded back-so asto underlie the page, thus fformingfin cfiect, a folder. Into this folder the left side of the ledger is inserted, and the typing page of the folder and ledger are then collated into writing position While out of the 'machine, and a carbon-paper placed therebetween. lVith the platen of the machine raised, the folder and its contents are inserted as a unit face downwardly fromthe-rear of the machine between the platen cylinder and the tearin -off knife, .tlie fleft edge of the folder being squared against a position guide carried by a. collating table mounted upon the papertable of the machine. Then with the folder held against the paper-table by means :of the hands, the platen is lowered against the feed-rolls, and the variable line-spacerzmay then be used to bring the folder and its contentsas.a unit into position to betyped pon.

'Other'features and advantages will'hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a plan view of a platenframe and some of the associated parts of. a type xvi-i ting machine, showing the invention as applied thereto.

.Figure 2 is a transverse crosssection .of the platen-frame, adjacent oneend thereof, and represents the introduction of a plurality of interleaved work-sheets into the machine.

YFigure- 3 is .2]. View showing the platen lowered and the sheets run intoposition to be typed upon, the means for holdingthe platen abovethe feed-rolls being. in inoperative position.

Figure ,4 is..a view similar-to Figure 3, except that the means for holding the platenraisedis shown in effective osition.

.Figure 5 is a view .of' a form 0 billing .unit which may be typed in the machine.

Figure 6. is a viewofa form of statement page havi-ngashort tab.

A platen 10.is,journaled by means of a shaftll in. the ends 12- of a platen--displacing frame 13, the'frame 13 being mounted to swing about a pivot-shaft ltjournaled in the endsl5 of a platen-frame 16iformi-ng part of a traveling carriage. 17 The platen may zbe rotated by means of anhan d-wheel fixed to one end of the shaft 11'. :Nor- .mally the free ends 13 ofthe framel? rest upon a rod 18 mounted in the ends 15 of the platen-frame 16 and are held in such position by means of hooks 19 carried by detents 19 mounted on the rod 18 at both ends of the platen-frame 16, and normally engaging pins or lugs 21 projecting from the sides of the frame 13. preferably the one at the left of the machine, is provided with a handle or fingerpiece 22 by means of which said detents may be swung rearwardly to release the platen-displacing frame 13, against the action of a coiled spring 22 encircling the rod 18 and having one end bent around a portion of the platen-frame, as shown at 20, and the other end caught in a perforation in the lower portion of one of the de tents in the customary manner of attaching such springs.

The plateirframe 16 includes apaper-- table 23 raised at its rear edge to overlie the rod 18 and extending beneath the platen to provide a paper-apron 21, through which front and rear feed-rolls 2i) and .26 engage the platen when the same is in normal position. A notch 27 is formed in the edge 28 of the finger-piece 22 immediately above the adjacent hook 19, the lower portion of the notch being curved, as indicated at 29, for a purpose later described.

The usual paper-table 30 is secured to the platen-displacing frame 13 and carries upon its outer face a collating table 31 including a paper-guide 31, the collating table being secured in position upon the paper-table by any convenient means, such as screws 32. A gage-bar 33, indicated in dot-andclash lines in Figure 3, is also secured to the paper-table 30 and includes a leading-edge gage 3a arranged to he clamped upon the gage-bar at. any desired position by means of a set-screw 35.

Various kinds of stacked sheets may be typed simultaneously in the machine, such, for example, as interleaved statement and ledger sheets. In Figure 2, the platen 10 of the machine has been swung by means of the frame 13 to its uppermost position away from the feed-rolls, and, while so swung, the sheets to be typed upon are inserted face downwardly with the top portions T of the sheets leading between the tearing-off mife 36 and the platen. Three sheets are shown; the one outermost from the platen may represent a billing or statement form B, the sheet nearest the platen a ledger-sheet L, and the intermediate line a sheet of carbon-paper C, although any number of sheets may be stacked in this manner and inserted as described. Now when the top portions T of the sheets are held against the paper-table 30 and the platen-displacing frame is swung about its shaft 14 toward the feed-rolls, one of the pins 21, carried by said frame, engages the One of the "detents 19',

notch 27 of the finger-piece 22, and the platen is thereby arrested and held in a temporary position slightly above the rolls, thus providing a collating throat, the clearance being suificient to permit the work-' sheets to be adjusted about the platen and squared against the paper-guide and properly collated in the machine. Subsequent pressure upon the platen-displacing frame 13 in a direction toward the rolls causes the corresponding pin 21 to ride out of the notch 2'7 over the rounded portion 29, and thence downwardly to permit the platen to press the collated sheets against the rolls, and the hooks 19 automatically snap into engagement around their respective pins 21, so as to hold the platen against the rolls.

A variable line-spacing device, indicated generally at 37 and of a construction substantially as disclosed in the patent to N. F. Helmond, No. 1,150,866, granted August 17, 1915, may then be utilized to permit the platen to be revolved fractionally by means of the hand-wheel 10 for bringing the typing field of the superposed sheets to the printing line of the platen to receive type impressions. After the sheets have been typed, the platen may be unlocked by simply pressing the finger-piece 22 toward the rear of the machine to release the hooks 19, and the sheets may then be removed. Thus it will be seen that, by reason of the described means for holding the platen slightly raised above the feed-rolls, any number of interleaved work-sheets which the machine is capable of handling may be quickly inserted, collated while in the machine, and typed upon. In View of the fact that collating is done entirely while the sheets are in the machine between the platen and rolls, and then quickly clamped by pressure on the platen-displacing frame to cause the platen to meet the rolls, there is no tendency of the sheets to creep 0r skew out of registration with one another, such as would be likely to occur if the sheets had been collated out of the machine and then run thereinto by turning the platen against the feed-rolls.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate two kinds of billing forms, which may be used in conjunction with duplicate or ledger sheets. With particular reference to Figure 5, it will be noted that the form illustrated consists of a billing page B ruled in the customary manner and including a tab B on its left edge, the tab being of the same shape and area as the billing page and folded back against the under side of the page to provide a folder F. Into this folder F may be placed one or more forms, such as duplicate or ledger sheets L, and carbon-paper C is interleaved between the sheets. The folder and its contents thus form a unit which is convenient for both of the machine.

iguana position against the'rolls, thusgripp-ing the folder and permitting the same to be run to the printing line to be ty dupon. Due

- 1 to the fact that the ledger sleet L and the billing page B are securely held together when gripped by the platen, there is no tendency of the sheets to move from their properly collated condition when run to the printing line by the platen, thus contributing to accuracy and neatness Whentyped upon.

In Figure 6, there is shown a type of billing folder f comprising afront page Z) having a short tab Z), and the manner of its use 1s the same as'that described 1n connection with the folder illustrated in Figure 5, the short tabbeing preferably'in some cases in the interest of economy. Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements maybe used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim':

1.'In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, feed-rolls normally against the platen, a movable collating table, means for releasably holding said platen and the feed-rolls spaced apart to permit workpieces introduced between the platen and the feed-rolls to be collated on the table, and

means operable by motion directly imparted to said table bythe hands of the operator, to cause release of the spacing means and thereby permit the platen and the feed-rolls to grip between them the collated Workpieces.

2. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, feed-rolls normally against the platen, a movable collating table, means for releasably holding said platen and the feedrolls spaced apart to permit work-pieces introduced between the platen and the feedrolls to be collated on the table, means operableby mot-ion directly imparted to said table by thehands of the operator, to cause release of the spacing means and thereby permit the platen and the feed-rolls to gri between them the collated work-pieces, and a releasable latch for maintaining said platen and the feed-rolls. in such work-piecegripping relation. f J

3;In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen,'feed-rolls against which the platen normally bears, a collating table mounted for :;movement with the platen :toward and away fromthe feed-rolls,;;mea-ns for releasably holding said-plateniand the feed-rolls spaced apart to permit workpieces introduced between saidplaten .aznd the feed-rolls to be collated onthe table, and means operable by motion directly imparted 'to-sai-d tabletoward the feed-rolls, tososmse release of the spacingmeans :andthereby .permit the platen and the feed-rolls'to -grip between them the collated work-pieces.

4. In a typewriting' macl-iine, in combination, a platen, a movable framein which: the platen is mountedyfeed rolls against-which the platen normallybears,--a collatingtable mounted on said frame for movement with the platen toward and away from the feedrolls, releasable means for holding saidframe in position to space the platen from the feed-rolls to permit work-pieces introduced between said platen and the feed-rollsto 'be'collated on the table, and means operable upon grasping and moving the table toward the feedrolls, to cause release of thespacing means and thereby ermit the'collated-workpieces to be ;rip1:)e(l between said platen and the feed-rolls.

5. In a type-writing machine, in combination, a platen, feed-rolls, a movable frame in which the platen is mounted, a collating table and-a side-gage mounted on'said frame for movement with-the platen toward and away from the feed-rolls,"releasable:means fonholding said frame inposition tospace the platen from the feed-rolls to permit work-pieces to be collated on the'table-and gaged against the side-gage, meanSppera-ble upon grasping the table'and moving the same toward the feed-rolls, to cause release of the spacing means so as toallow the collated work-pieces to be gripped between the platen and the feed-rolls, and a releasable latch for holding saidframe in position to maintain said platen and the feed-rolls in such work-piece-gripping relation.

6. In a typewr'iting machine, in combination, a carriage, a platen-carrying frame on the carriage, a lug carried by the frame, feed-rolls beneath the platen, said frame being displaceable to move theplaten to or away from the feed-rolls, and a detent engaging the lug, whereby to hold theplaten in normal position against" the feed-rolls, said detent including a notch for the reception of said lug, whereby to space the platen slightly above the feed-rolls to permit co1 lation of work-pieces around the platen, said detent also including means for causing said lug to become released from the notch upon pressure being applied to said frame to move the platen in the direction of the feed-rolls.

7. In a typewriting machine, in combination, acarriage, a platen-carrying frameon the carriage, a collating tablecarried by the frame, feed-rolls beneath the platen,

frame, feed-rolls beneath the platen,

frame being displaceable to move the platen to or away from the feed-rolls, a pin mounted on said frame, and a detent engageable with said pin, whereby to hold the platen normally against the feed-rolls, said detent having a recess for the reception of said pin, whereby the frame holds the platen slightly above the feed-rolls to permit free adjustment of work-pieces around the platen for collation on said table, said detent also including means for causing said pin to become released from the recess upon pressure being applied to the table to move the platen in the direction of the feed-rolls,'the detenl thereafter effecting engagement with the frame to hold the platen in its normal position against the feed-rolls.

8. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage, a platen-carrying frame on the carriage, feed-rolls beneath the platen, said frame being displaceable to move the platen to or away from the feed-rolls, a collating table carried by the frame, a sidegage carried by said collating table, a pin mounted upon said frame, and a detent normally engaging around said pin to hold the platen against the feed-rolls, said detent including a notch disposed above the normal position of the pin, the notch being effective to intercept and detain the pin during movement of the frame to normal typing position, whereby said detent supports the frame, so as to hold the platen slightly above the feed-rolls and thereby permit workpieces to be collated on the table and brought to position against the side-gage, said detent also including means for causing said pin to become automatically released from the notch upon pressure being applied to the table to move the platen in the direction of the feed-rolls.

9. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage, a platen-carrying frame on the carriage, a collating table carried by the frame being displaceable to move the platen to or away from the feed-rolls, a pin mounted on said frame, a releasable detent, and resilient means urging said detent toward the path of the pin, whereby said detent engages said pin to hold the platen against the feedrolls, said detent including a notch for engagement by said pin, whereby the frame is releasably held in position with the platen slightly separated from the feed-rolls, so that work-pieces may be adjusted around the platen and collated on said table, the detent also including means for causing the pin to become released from the notch against the action of said resilient means, upon pressure being applied to the frame to move the platen in the direction of the feed-rolls, the detent becoming effective thereafter to engage the pin to hold the platen against said feed-rolls.

said

10. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage, a platen-carrying frame swingable on the carriage, feed-rolls, a pin on the platen-carrying frame, a finger-piece pivoted upon the carriage and having a notch and a hooked portion, and resilient means for holding said finger-piece in such position that, when said platen-carrying frame is swung toward the feed-rolls, said p n engages the notch to hold the platen slightly above the rolls, and, upon pressure applied to the platen in the direction of the rolls, the pin causes the finger-piece to automatically release the frame so as to permit the platen to meet the rolls and the hooked portion of said finger to engage around the ll. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a carriage, a platen-carrying frame swingable on the carriage, feed'rolls, a pin carried by the platen-frame, a finger-piece pivoted upon the carriage adjacent one end thereof and having a notch with a rounded lower edge and a hooked portion beneath the notch, and releasable means for yieldingly holding said finger-piece in such position that, when said platen-carrying frame is swung toward the feed-rolls, said pin enthe notch to hold the platen slightly above the rolls, and, upon pressure applied to the frame in the direction of the rolls, the pin rides over the rounded lower edge of the notch and releases the frame so as to permit the platen to reach the feed-rolls and the hooked portion of the finger-piece to engage around the pin. I

12. In a sheet-collating and typing machine, the combination with a platen and a platen-frame, of a collating table at the delivery side of the platen, said collating table depressibly mounted on the platen-frame,

and means called into action by the depression of said table for clamping the sheets when collated.

13. In a sheet-collating and typing machine, the combination with a platen and a platen-frame, of a collating table at the delivery side of the platen, said collating table depressibly mounted on the platen-frame, and means called into action by the depression of said table for clamping the collated sheets against the platen.

14:. In a sheet-collating and typing machine, the combination with a platen and a platen-frame, of a collating table at the delivery side of the platen, said collating table depressibly mounted on the platen-frame, means called into action by the depression of said table for clamping the sheets when 001- lated, and releasable means for detaining the clamping means in effective position.

15. In a front-strike sheet-collating and typing machine, the combination with a platen and a platen-frame, of a hinged intermediate frame whereby said platen is movably supported upon said platen-frame, a collating table movable with said hinged frame, means to hold the collated worksheets upon the platen, and releasable means for holding said platen either in position for coaction with said work-holding means or away therefrom, the collating table being effective when moved from one position to another, to operate said releasable means to release said platen from its position away 10 from said work-holding means to position for coaction therewith.

JESSE A. B. SMITH. 

